Chalk talk: Saints vs. Dolphins: How the units stack up

Before every Saints game, I break down the contest in several categories.

In Week Four, New Orleans hosts the Miami Dolphins in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Monday Night Football.

Kickoff is set for 7:25 p.m.

Saints rushing offense versus Dolphins rushing defense

The Saints have been brutal on the ground so far in 2013. New Orleans has one rushing touchdown, and it was scored by quarterback Drew Brees. Not too good. Luckily in today’s NFL, you don’t need a strong running game to be successful, and the Saints are living proof with a 3-0 record.

Miami is league average with 108.7 rushing yards allowed per contest. The addition of Dannell Ellerbe from the world-champion Ravens has been a good one as he has a team-high 30 tackles.

Even without the injury question marks the Saints have up front at right guard with Jahri Evans being active but not playing last week and Tim Lelito hurting himself in his place, it’s tough to give the Saints the advantage versus anyone after what we’ve seen so far this year. We’ll see if it matters, however.

Advantage: Dolphins

Saints passing offense versus Dolphins passing defense

Editor's note: Cameron Wake was named inactive shortly before kickoff.

With three passing touchdowns last week in New Orleans’ rout of Arizona, Drew Brees is back baby! Not that the quarterback had ever really left, but Atlanta and Tampa Bay did a pretty good job of keeping him out of the end zone. Interceptions (four) and sacks (10) have been a problem through three games, but New Orleans is yet to let those cost them.

Miami ranks in the bottom half of the league versus the pass with 263 yards given up per game, but contests versus two likely Pro Bowl quarterbacks in Matt Ryan and Andrew Luck can skew that a bit. The Dolphins will need to get after the passer in order to slow down the Drew Brees machine. We know Cameron Wake is an elite pass rusher and Charles Brown will have his hands full, but Dolphin defensive tackle Randy Starks has two sacks already this year. Starks will line up across from New Orleans’ right guard who will either be a hampered Evans or Lelito.

I’m riding Brees, but the Saints better protect him better by most-glaringly picking up the blitz better.

Advantage: Saints

Dolphins rushing offense versus Saints rushing defense

Believe it or not, the Dolphins have rushed for fewer yards and a lower yards per carry than the Saints this year. However, Miami has punched it in in the red zone, and New Orleans has not with four rushing scores compared to one. With that said, Dolphin backs Lamar Miller and Daniel Thomas have really struggled to find room behind an offensive line that really only features one stud in center Mike Pouncey.

New Orleans rush defense has been slightly below league average through three games, surrendering 111.3 yards per game. 5.3 yards allowed per rush is alarming, but New Orleans has stiffened up when it has needed to and allowed just one score on the ground.

Both groups have lots of work to do in this department, so I’m going to give it a push.

Push

Dolphins passing offense versus Saints passing defense

Where New Orleans has had issues protecting the passer, Miami has had even bigger issues. Ryan Tannehill has been brought down in the backfield a whopping 14 times. New Orleans has eight sacks this year, and with a very hydrated Superdome crowd Monday night likely forcing Miami into a silent count and/or false start penalties, that number is sure to go up.

The second-yard signal caller from Texas A&M has been good so far in 2013, and he’s won two games on the road, but there’s no way he’s ready for the ruckus atmosphere he’ll experience Monday night. New Orleans native Mike Wallace returns home on the outside, and the Saints will have their hands full with the speedster, but he’s been more effective as a decoy to take coverage and attention away from Mike Hartline, who has 18 catches and two touchdowns already.

Through three weeks, the Saints had given up the fourth fewest passing yards in the NFL this season. A remarkable turnaround. Because of that and the crowd’s effect on a young quarterback and an offensive line, I’m taking New Orleans to win this matchup, but Miami’s passing offense is no joke now that it has the pride of O. Perry Walker to blow the top off of defenses.

Advantage: Saints

Special teams

The most unpredictable aspect of the game appears to be a wash Monday night. Rookie Miami kicker from Florida, Caleb Sturgis, is a perfect 6-for-6 and an impressive five of those makes have come from 40 yards or further, including two from 50 yards or further. Garrett Hartley’s only miss came from 43-yard-out on sloppy Raymond James Stadium turf. Dolphin punter Brandon Fields rivals “The Leg” Thomas Morstead.

Neither team has scored or given up a punt or kick return touchdown this year. Darren Sproles and Marcus Thigpin have found room for nice returns so far this year, though as Sproles has a 23-yard punt return and Thigpin has a 38-yard effort.

No discernable edge for either team, so I’ve gotta push.

Push

Coaching

Taking over a team that hadn’t had a winning season since 2008, Joe Philbin has done a fantastic job to get the surprising Dolphins to 3-0. Of the seven 3-0 teams, Miami has certainly been the one that has shocked the most talking heads.

However, it’s tough to best Sean Payton in the coaching category for obvious reasons, and he takes this category once again.

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